Machine for marking or painting lines



May 11 1926. 1,584,687

, H. B. AULT MACHINE FOR MARKING OR PAINTING LINES Original Filed March14. 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 11 1926. 1,584,687

H. B. AULT MACHINE FOR MARKING OR PAINTING LINES Original Filed March14. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 11, 1926.:

mural) STATES PATENT F C 1 HORACE BERTON AULT, OF MORRISTOWN, TENNESSEE,ASSIGNOR TO TENNESSEE TOOL WORKS, INC., OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ACORPORATION OF TENNES- SEE.

MACHINE FOR MARKING OR PAINTING LINES.

Original application filed March 14, 1924, Serial No. 699,379. Dividedand this application filed March 29,

- 1926. Serial No. 98,295.

This invention relates to a machine for marking or palnting lines onstreets, play- I grounds, athletic grounds, and other surfaces requiringmarking. I

The present application is a continuation in part of an application formarking a paratus or machine, Serial No. 683,226, filed December 28,1923, and a division of an application for machine for marking lines orb zzmds, filed March 14, 1924, Serial No. 699,- 3 9. The marking orpainting of safety lines on streets and the division lines on.playgrounds,athletic fields and lil surfaces, has ordinarily been a handoperation which is slow and expensive on account of the time and laborinvolved.

The invention contemplates the provision of a wheeled machine which isadapted to be propelled and guided by a single operator and which has acompressed air tank, a storage tank for the fluid which is to be used tomark the lines, a novel arrangement of brushes which are spaced apart,means for directing the marking fluid to the space between the brushesso that the latter may utilize the fluid to lay down on the pavement orsurface a line of the desired width, a supplemental brush; for smoothingdown the marking material, an improved mounting for the brushes wherebythey may be adj listed in relation to each other and elevated orlowered, an improved means for controlling the supply of the markingfluid by the position of the brushes, and other features such .as abumper located in advance of the marking brushes and adapted to preventthem\from being struck by any object, and a runner so arranged that itwill elevate certain parts and permit the marking brushes to be advancedso that they can mark a line close to the curb, and other featuresincident to the invention are set forth more fullyhereinafter. j Theprincipal features of my present improvemcnts are the brushes'whichdefine the margins of the line or band which is marked onthe surfacetraversed by the machine, and the means for supplying to the spacebetween said brushes the marking or painting material under airpressure, with or without the smoothing brush which smooths down themarking material formed into a line or band by the markin brushes. Bypreference, the smoothing iHllSh is employed because superior resultsare obtained when it is used, but in its broadest aspect the inventionis'not limited to the inclusion of the smoothing brush.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view;

Figure 2 is a plan view;

Figure 3 is a detail side elevation, showing the arrangement of thebrushes, bumper, spiral brush and runner;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the mounting for the marking brushes;

Figure 5 is a similar view of one of the brushes; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective of a part of the storage tank forthe marking material.

The frame of the machine is shown at 1, said frame being provided withwheels 2 which are preferably rubber tired. The rear wheels arepreferably swiveled so that the machine may be easily guided and turned.

The marking apparatus is located at the front of the frame 1 and iscarried by a shaft 3 mounted in brackets 4 secured to the front crosspiece of frame 1 and having holes 5 to receive shaft 3 so that the shaftmay be located at any desired height, said shaft be-- ing mounted toturn in said holes 5 so that the brushes may be swung upwardly, out ofcontact with the pavement or other surface being marked, when desired.

The brackets 6 which carry the brushes are secured to shaft 3 by setscrews 7 and are adjustable toward and away from each other on saidshaft so that the brushes may be disposed in any desired spacedrelationship. The brackets 6 have slots 8 to receive the fastenings bywhich the brushes 9 are secured. T

The brushes may be of the construction shown in Figure 5 and providedwith slots 10 to receive the shanks of the bolts 11 which pass throughthe slots 8 and are secured by the wing nuts 12. The bolts 11 and wingnuts 12 enable the brushes to be adjusted forwardly or rearwardly and upwardly or downwardly as may be desired and this adaptability for"adjustment, in connection with the adjnstability of the brackets 6toward and away from each other, en-

' secured at the desired point by set screw 14.

This brush is located slightly to the rear of the brushes 9 and to therear of the marking material distributor or nozzle which wil bedescribed hereinafter, so that said brush 13 will properly perform itssmoothing function.

To counterbalance the brushes and other parts carried ,shaft 3 there isrovided an adjustable arm 16 on s aft 3 w ich carries an adjustableweight 17.

The nozzle or distributor 15 may be perforated, or, interchangeableperforated disks having holes of different sizes maybe providedaccording to the liquid marking material used and the consistencythereof. The distributor 15 is so located that it will discharge or flowthe marking material between the brushes 9 and in front of the brush 13.

The distributor 15 is carried by a pipe 18 which has a valve 19 forcontrolling the flow therethrough., The valve 19- is connected by achain, cord, or other suitable connection 20 to one of the brackets 6. Apull-rod 21 which is connected to the valve 19 and is mounted in abearing 22 on the cross piece of the handle 23, may be utilized for thepurpose of simultaneously opening valve 19 and lowering the brushes, or,closing valve 19 when raising said brushes. Thus, by one operation, themarking means and the flow of the marking material to the distributor 15are jointly controlled. 1

Liquid marking material such as needed for marking a street, playground,etc., is liable to settle in the storage tank and its uniformconsistency is not easily maintained. For that reason, the storage tank24 for the liquid marking material is mounted so that it may beoscillated. A convenient mounting comprises trunnions 25 carried. by thetank 24 and supported on the standards 26 which are carried by frame 1.

The pipe 18 is connected to the tank 24 by a hose 27 which, in turn, isattached to the pipe fitting 28leading to the tank, a

strainer 29 being provided to strain all of the material flowing fromthe tank to the distributor 15. A valve 30 is provided for cutting offor opening communication between tank 24 and the distributor 15. Thetank 24 has a closure 31 for the opening through which the markingmaterial may be introduced.

The compressed air tank 32 which is carried by the frame 1 has a valve33 for the connection of a pipe through which air pressure from anysuitable source may be delivered to said tank. A pipe 34 and flexiblehose 35, afford means for introducing compressed air into tank 24 fromtank 32, A controlling and reducing valve 36, interposed in pipe 34enables the proper, reduced, pressure to be had in tank 24. i valve 37in pipe 28 provides means for opening or shutting'ofi communicationbetween the two tanks.

A pressure gage 38 on tank 32 enables the operator to keep track of thepressure in that tank and a gage 39 in pipe 34 in dicates the pressurein the tank 24.

To guard the brushes 9 so that they will not be injured by striking anyobject, there is provided an arched bumper 40 of spring steel secured toframe 1.

I may provide a spiral, rotary brush 41 driven by a sprocket chain 42from sprocket wheel 43 on one of the wheels 2. This brush is carried bya frame comprising arms 43 rockably mounted on the axle 44 of the frontwheels 2, and a cross bar 45 con-- meeting said arms. The arms aresupported at their forward ends by swiveled wheels 46. The shaft 47 ofthe brush 41 is adjustably mounted in the arms 43 by means of tensionscrews 48 engaged with the bearings 49 which slide in slots.

The frame for the brush is provided with a curved runner 50 whichprojects out in front of the brush 41 in position to engage the curb forthe purpose of swinging the arms 43 and brush 41 upwardly so that thebrushes 9 may mark the line close up the curb when such marking isdesired.

In the claims, when the word brush or brushes appears as having relationto the marking means, it is to be understood that, unless otherwisespecified, there is intended to be covered thereby any device or deviceshaving a wiping, contacting, or brushing action in relation to thesurface being marked, and possessing the function of defining themargins of the line or band being marked or ainted.

What I c aim is:

1. In a machine for marking a line or band, the combination with brushesarranged side by side, of means for delivering marking or paintingmaterial to said brushes, and an independent separately mountedsmoothing brush adapted to smooth down the marking material being laidby the aforesaid brushes.

2. In a machine for marking a line or band, the combination with brushesarranged side by side, in spaced relationship, of means for deliveringmarking or painting material to the space between aid brushes, and anindependent, separately mounted smoothing brush disposed in line withthe space between said brushes and Ill n trates? adapted to smoothdovsin the marking material being'laid by the aforesaid brushes.

3. In a machine for marking a line or band, the combination withbrushesar ranged side by side, in spaced relationed to smooth down-the markingmaterial being laid by said brushes. r

v a. In a machine for marking a line or band, the combination of brushesarranged side by side and adapted to mark the line the valve will beclosed.

said pipe, an operative connection between the valve and. the brushes,and means for 1 jointly operatingisaid valve and brushes whereby'whenthe brushes are in marking position, the'valve will be opened and whensaid brushes are out of operative position 9. In a machine for marking aline or band, a storage tank for the marking material which is mountedfor movement so that the contents thereof may be agitated, in com-'bination with a distributor for the marking material, a flexible hoseconnection between, the distributor and the tank, a compressed .airtank, and a valved pipe connection between the twotanks,-said"connection posor band, an independent, separately mounted rsessing adaptability for flexing.

smoothing brush arranged to smooth down the marking material, meansmounting the aforesaid brushes in a unitary fashion sov that they may bemoved bodily or as a unit to dispose them in operative or inoperativeposition, and means for delivering marking or painting material to formsaid line or band. 1

5. In a machine. for marking a'line or band, the combination withbrushes arranged side by side and mounted for adjustment to ward andaway from each other,of a smooth- .ing brush mounted for adjustmenttoward and away from-the aforesaid brushes, and means for deliveringmarking or painting material to form said line or band.

6. In a machine for marking a line or band, the combination with arockably mounted shaft, of brackets carried thereby which are adjustableto ifl'erent positions on said shaft so that their relationship may a bevaried, brushes carried by said brackets,

said brushes being adapted for marking a line or band,'a smoothing brushadjustably mounted on said shaft so that it may be located in difierentrelationships to said brushes, and means for delivering marking orpainting material to form said line or band.

7. In a machine for marking a line or band,the combination with line orband marking means mounted to be arranged in operative or inoperativeposition, of means for feeding marking material so that it may beutilized by said marking means, a valve controlling the feed of themarking material, and shifting means combined with'the valve and markingmeans, whereby the valve will be operated jointly with the shifting ofthe marking means from. operative to inoperative positions, and viceversa. i

8. In a machine ,forinarking a line or band, the combination withswingingly mounted marking brushes, of a distributor for deliveringmarking material to said brushes, said distributor having a pipe'forfeeding the material thereto, a valve for arranged member, brackets brbrush holders bodily carried therebyi so as to be adapted to swing withsaid'member, and adjustably related to each other, brushes carried bysaid brackets, and means for delivering marking or painting material toform said line or band.

12. In a machine for marking a line or band, the combination withmarking brushesarranged side by side to define the margins of the lineor band, of a marking material feeder or distributor for deliveringmarking material to the brushes, a storage tank or tanks for saidmarking material, a pipe connection between said tank andsaiddistributor or feeder, means for introducing compressed air into saidtank or container, and controlling means for regulating the flow of thematerial from the tank to the feeder or distributor.

13. In a machine for marking a line or band, the combination withmarking brushes arranged side by side to define the margins of the lineor band, of a marking material feeder or distributor for deliveringmarking material to the brushes, a storage tank or container for saidmarking material, a pipe connection between said tank and saiddistributor or feeder, a compressed air tank communicating with thestorage tank aforesaid, and meansfor controlling. the flow, underpressure, of the material from the first-named tank to the nozzle ordistributor.

14. A portable machine for marking a line or band, embodying thecombination of a movably mounted frame, marking brushes carried therebyto define the margins of the line or band, a nozzle or distributor fordeliiering marking material to the brushes, a compressed air tankcarried by the frame, a marking material storage tank carried by theframe and commun cat- 8 ing with the nozzleor distributor, meanscontrolling the flow of the material from the storage tank to the nozzleor distributor,

mama I said compressed air tank communicatin with the storage tank, andmeans contro ling the flow of compressed air from the 10 compressed airtank to the storage tank.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa-

